Infection News

The type of infectious organism, patient factors and timing of a revision procedure play critical roles in appropriate treatment of infection after shoulder arthroplasty, according to a presenter.

Although vancomycin powder was associated with a reduction in gram-positive organisms in spine deformity reconstruction surgeries, researchers also found a number of gram-negative or polymicrobial organisms postoperatively, according to results.

The FDA announced the launch of a new website that streamlines its approach to updating critical information regarding antibiotics and antifungal drugs, according to a press release.

Patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion for the correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and were obese had a greater risk for postoperative infection, according to results published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.

Patients who received a preoperative intra-articular hip injection within 3 months of hip arthroscopy experienced an increased risk of infection, according to results.

DALLAS— Data presented at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Annual Meeting showed an increasing trend of periprosthetic joint infection among patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty.

DALLAS — At the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Annual Meeting, Simon W. Young, MBChB, FRCS, spoke about a study that found intraosseous regional prophylaxis provided higher tissue concentrations in patients with a high BMI after undergoing total knee arthroplasty.

DALLAS — Dilute povidone-iodine intraoperative irrigation had the greatest impact on surgical site rates among three stepwise measures instituted to reduce the incidence of surgical site infection among patients undergoing primary total knee replacement, according to a presenter.

Management of periprosthetic joint infection is challenging on many accounts. Fungal periprosthetic joint infections are particularly difficult to treat. The problem is the incidence of fungal infections has increased globally in the last few decades. Fungal periprosthetic infections, although rare, are similarly increasing in prevalence. Most case series of patients with fungal periprosthetic joint infections report a disastrous outcome for surgical management of these patients with treatment failure rates of up to 50% at 2-year follow-up. Part of the problem relates to the complex biofilm that fungi can form. Furthermore, patients with fungal periprosthetic joint infection are often immunocompromised with impaired cellular immunity.

DALLAS — When a hip becomes unstable after total hip arthroplasty, the orthopedic surgeon should investigate it with a history and physical, appropriate imaging and laboratory tests prior to any surgery to remove the hip anteversion or revise the prosthesis, according to a presenter.